Review by Marilyn Barber

I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much. This farce is seriously funny – or at least this talented company’s version of it.

If you think that because this Alan Ayckbourn farce was written in the 1970s it must be dated, this production will make you think again.

The action switches between three bedroom scenes, and the interaction between four couples.

At the heart of the story is the fractious relationship between Susannah (Rosie Nye) and Trevor (Richard Scotson) which impacts on the other three couples.

Ernest and Delia are Trevor’s parents who are worried about the parlous state of their son’s marriage. Tim Fearon is delightfully vague yet endearing as Ernest who worries about everything, whilst as always Judy Garrett gets under the skin of her character as his bossy wife.

A painful back injury causes Colin Pile’s character Nick, to spend all his time in bed, except when he ends up on the floor – a hilarious sequence – and his slightly dour characterisation contrasts deliciously with his lively wife Jan played with lots of oomph by Julie Sissons.

Every scene has multiple humourous moments, none more so than those between Malcolm and Kate who are having a party – to be attended by the troubled Trevor, Susannah and Jan.

Beth Morris shows exceptional talent as Kate and her scenes with James Renwick, as the joker who can border on the obsessed Malcolm are some of the funniest in the play.

Richard Scotson encapsulates the less than perfect and morose Trevor, whilst Rosie Nye gets the chance for high tension and neurosis as Susannah.

A huge amount of rehearsal must have gone into this production as the action requires split second timing on and off beds!

Directed by Michelle Barter and Suzanne Viney this is amateur dramatics at its very, very best.

With evening performances tonight (Friday) and Saturday at 7.30pm, and a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm you really must get a ticket.  It will be the best start to your weekend.